Last week I did a post about my exercise routine. It was probably one of the hardest posts for me to write. I know people have their opinions about bodies and the appropriate amount of exercise each person needs, but I was seriously afraid of getting some negative emails as a result of being so open. Much to my pleasant surprise, you all were so incredibly supportive and even shared with me your own exercise routines. Thank you!

As a sequel to that post, I want to dive even deeper into “posts i’m seriously afraid to write” and talk about my eating habits. I’m partially terrified because my mom and dad will probably read this and get offended (seriously, sorry parents) but I want to portray my childhood accurately, so you can get a full picture of how and why I eat the way that I do now.

When I was growing up there was always an abundance of junk food. Oreos, cheese itz, poptarts, you name it. My dad had a sweet tooth and loved nothing more than chips before bed and we were a latin, jewish family of eaters. My mom (bless her) tried to get us to eat healthily and we would periodically have “health kicks” but nothing ever really stuck. It wasn’t until I was old enough to make choices and realize the kinds of foods I should eat, that I did so.

Going to college was hard. Unlimited food and endless meal cards meant that I could eat what I wanted. As I said in my exercise post, I also started working out more, so I didn’t gain a ton of weight. Soon after my freshman year I really learned what made me feel good, and I became nearly vegetarian, and watched what I ate. Greens tasted good and felt good, so I ate them.

Fast forward to my senior year of college and I decided I wanted to drop a few pounds. Exercising wasn’t cutting it and my eating habits weren’t contributing enough. I decided to go on Medifast (if anyone has tried every fad diet out there, this is a popular one). Long story short, I dropped 25 pounds in 6 months. It was amazing, it reset my portion control and I was happy. Slowly but surely, however, the weight started coming back. Why? No fad diet is sustainable. It took me trying one, succeeding and then failing to learn that sad reality.

Coming off of the Medifast kick, I started to truly evaluate my relationship with food. At my core i’m a healthy eater. I don’t feel great when I eat junk so I typically don’t. Of course I have my late night pizza moments and my cookie indulgences, but as a whole I eat lean meats (if any), lots of veggies and crap loads of fruit. I enjoy a colorful diet and love the strive to eat well.

What i’ve learned over time is not to beat myself up about food. If I want the cookie, I should eat the cookie. I know myself well enough to know it won’t turn into 5 cookies, and that it won’t happen every day. I’ve learned that life is short, and food is good. I don’t want to be that person that “doesn’t eat carbs or dairy or sugar” and can’t enjoy simple pleasures. I travel, I eat when I travel, I try things. I have a healthy relationship with food and do the best that I possibly can, within the life that I want to live.

I know this wasn’t a “here is what I eat in a day” type post, but I felt like explaining my eating habits as a whole is a big contributor in how I have confidence. Coming to terms with the way that I look was a big step in then coming to terms with how I eat. One impacts the other and I want to have a healthy relationship with myself all around.

If you remember some bridesmaid posts from last year, you’ll know that my big brother got married in June of 2013. The wedding was one of the best days and couldn’t have been more stunning. The photos were just released and I couldn’t help myself from sharing a few. But please be warned, this is a picture heavy post!

The rehearsal dinner was so stunning. Florals galore on a stunning vineyard in the Hamptons.

Morning-of with my sister-in-law’s puppy!

One of my favorite photos. My older brother (right) and my younger brother (the best man!) laughing it up before the ceremony. This one is certainly getting printed and framed.

The wedding took place in the Hamptons. This is the gorgeous dinner after the ceremony. I couldn’t imagine a wedding more beautiful.

The original 5.

Our family is hot.

Congratulations to the happy couple!

Note: the gorgeous earrings i’m wearing and the cufflinks for the men were crafted for the wedding party by jeweler Joan Hornig, my sister-in-law’s mom! Bow ties were crafted by my brother’s groomsman, Baruch Shemtov!

At least once weekly Cesar and I have a date night and go out to dinner together. It’s one of my favorite days with him and allows us to take a walk together, eat a great meal and spend some quality time together. San Francisco has been particularly amazing for this tradition and we have made it a point to explore some of the best restaurants in the city. I wanted to give a quick rundown of four of our absolute staples and places we visit at least once a month, we love them so much.

Burma Superstar: One of the few Burmese restaurants in the country, their food is absolutely amazing. I’d highly recommend ordering the tea leaf salad, coconut rice, and the platha dip. Fun fact, this was the first meal I ever had after getting off the plane in SF!

Tony’s Pizzeria: We go here all. the. time. It is one of the more famous pizza places in the city and is walking distance from our apartment. With friends or alone, we always take out of town guests here. It is so superb. Cesar insists I recommend ordering the New Yorker pizza (a typical pizza piled high with meats and ricotta cheese), though i’m a fan of the Cal Italia and the Honey Pie.

Sang Tung: Believe it or not, finding great Chinese food in San Francisco isn’t easy. This place is miles away from our apartment (far for those city dwellers who walk everywhere) but well worth the trek and the wait. We always order their famous chicken wings along with their chicken fried rice. Everything is sensational but this little hole in the wall is bar-none the best Chinese food i’ve ever had.

Blackwood: If i’m being totally honest, we go to Blackwood almost once a week. It is a beautiful walk from our apartment and is in a part of the city we absolutely love. Nestled on Chestnut street in the Marina we love walking here for dinners or Sunday brunch and then stopping by the Plant to get me a green juice on the way home. Pro tip: order the Millionaire’s bacon and the Stone Pot. Thank me later.

If you couldn’t tell, we like to eat. If you enjoyed this sort of roundup i’d love to give suggestions for brunch places as well. Happy Friday!

I think living in San Francisco is starting to rub off on me, because if there is one thing i’ve wanted (that I didn’t get for Christmas) it’s a juicer. I love the idea of waking up in the morning and juicing my own drink for my walk. Plus, I just feel so amazing when i’m drinking juice regularly. The only issue with all of this is that I have absolutely no idea what a “good” juicer is. I know that some are “slow juicers” some are fast, I presume? Some are exorbitantly expensive and some are under $100. If anyone juices and can tell me a bit about it, the juicer they have and any tips, i’d be so appreciative! Here is to starting the year of right, one juice at a time.